Time For Exhaustion To Go Away

[Knoppie]

When I first went off gluten, my stomach stopped bloating after about 5 days, but I felt much less tired after about 2.

Now I'm tired again and I've been off gluten for about a month now. Is this normal? I've tried to see if there's any way gluten might still be sneaking into my diet. I read that it can be in teabags but I still used those when I first felt better. The bloating has stopped but I can't seem to rid myself of the exhaustion.

Does anyone have an explanation or advice? and how long does it take then to start feeling less tired?

[darlindeb25]

Have you had your B12 tested? Or your iron level? Most people with a gluten intolerance also have low levels of B12. Do you take vitamins?

The fatigue never went away for me. I didn't realize how bad it was until my neuro diagnosed sleep apnea. I thought the way I felt was "just me". I have been gluten free for 9 years, and have been searching for years for a reason why I feel the way I do.

Get your B12 tested, and let us know what the level is. Most doctors will tell you a level of 200 is good, but it isn't, it's too low. They tell me my level is wonderful, but if I stop taking my B12 for even 3 days, I can tell. My level is 1018, and I take more B12 now than I did 3 years ago when my level was 1237. I will have to take B12 forever.

[OptimisticMom42]

I've been gluten free (not counting learning curve mistakes) for five months. I've just started seeing a difference. I'm getting more work done and sleeping a lot less. I even stay up and watch a movie with my teenagers now and then.

Everybody is different so........ Good Luck, I hope you are feeling chipper soon!

[OptimisticMom42]

Are there other signs that it's a B12 issue? I've been thinking about adding some but I'm not going to another dr., barring an emergency, until the bills have all been paid.

Thanks RA

[Knoppie]

Have you had your B12 tested? Or your iron level? Most people with a gluten intolerance also have low levels of B12. Do you take vitamins?

The fatigue never went away for me. I didn't realize how bad it was until my neuro diagnosed sleep apnea. I thought the way I felt was "just me". I have been gluten free for 9 years, and have been searching for years for a reason why I feel the way I do.

Get your B12 tested, and let us know what the level is. Most doctors will tell you a level of 200 is good, but it isn't, it's too low. They tell me my level is wonderful, but if I stop taking my B12 for even 3 days, I can tell. My level is 1018, and I take more B12 now than I did 3 years ago when my level was 1237. I will have to take B12 forever.

Both my iron and B12 levels are low. I started taking injections for B12 which I used to take but stopped. I also started taking an iron supplement again which i stopped because I was afraid it might have gluten in it, I can't find out if it's in medication in Egypt. The others are way too expensive. If I get my iron up how soon should I start feeling better? Will my iron levels stay up or will I have to keep on taking iron like I always had to do?

[tarnalberry]

Both my iron and B12 levels are low. I started taking injections for B12 which I used to take but stopped. I also started taking an iron supplement again which i stopped because I was afraid it might have gluten in it, I can't find out if it's in medication in Egypt. The others are way too expensive. If I get my iron up how soon should I start feeling better? Will my iron levels stay up or will I have to keep on taking iron like I always had to do?

B-12 and iron levels being low will certainly make you tired. Do try to find out if there's any iron supplement you can take, or consider getting one shipped from overseas. You can also start cooking with a cast iron pan in order to get more iron (particularly if cooking acidic foods).

Whether levels will stay up or not depends on why the levels were down in the first place. You may not need to, but you might. Generally, low iron is not a 'cause' all of its own, something is causing the body to either not store, or use up, too much iron. (Though, the cause can just be diet related, it can also be a physiological process.)

[ang1e0251]

I didn't see a dr to take sublingual B12 (methyl type). You can't overdose on it, extra just flushes out of your system. I tried it and I feel so much better. If I skip, forget, a couple of days, I'm draggin' my tail again.